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PNS Daily Newscast - February 16, 2018

Florida lawmakers put a concealed weapons bill on hold; also on today's nationwide rundown, concern about Washington State sharing immigrant activist information with ICE agents; and romance scams on the rise.

New Poll: Colorado Voters Support Endangered Species Act

A new poll shows 80 percent of Colorado voters support the Endangered Species Act. Credit: Alptraum/iStockphoto

September 30, 2015

DENVER - Coloradans like the Endangered Species Act, according to a poll of the state's voters, and the support holds strong no matter their party affiliation.

Eighty percent of Coloradans polled say they support the act, while 11 percent oppose it. Support is strongest among self-identified liberals and moderates, but also strong among conservatives at 64 percent.

Robert Dewey, vice president for government relations at Defenders of Wildlife, said these poll results come at a time when Congress has been flooded with more than 80 bills, amendments and riders designed to weaken the act or remove protections for specific species.

"So, clearly, there's strong public sentiment," he said, "which, unfortunately, as we know, is strongly at odds with the numerous, unprecedented number of attacks we've seen on the act in the current Congress."

Some of the provisions against the act are in funding bills for the Department of the Interior and other agencies. Defenders of Wildlife and Earthjustice commissioned the poll, which also found that voters don't agree with the claim that protecting species means lost jobs and economic harm.

Dewey said there's no doubt Coloradans see success stories, such as the bald eagle and black-footed ferret, which helps with the understanding of how the law works to keep species from going extinct. He also noted that those polled do not think Congress should be messing with decisions on whether species should be protected or not.

"The public really wants federal biologists to make determinations based on sound science," he said, "and not a political decision by members of Congress."

Eighty-seven percent said biologists should make ESA determinations. Two percent said Congress should make the decisions, while 11 percent didn't know.